World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025

  • 30 Dec 2024

In News:

India to Host World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025.

Key Highlights:

  • Purpose: The summit aims to bolster India's media and entertainment (M&E) industry, expand its global influence, and foster innovation and collaboration within the sector.
  • Significance: First-ever global summit to cover the entire media and entertainment industry spectrum.
  • Objective:
    • Foster Dialogue and Trade: WAVES aims to be a premier platform for industry leaders, stakeholders, and innovators to engage in meaningful discussions, explore opportunities, and tackle challenges in the M&E sector.
    • Promote India's M&E Industry: Attract trade and investment to India, highlighting its strengths in animation, gaming, entertainment technology, and cinema (both regional and mainstream).
  • Focus Areas:
    • Industry Advancements: Discussions will revolve around India’s progress in animation, visual effects, gaming, and cinema.
    • Global Positioning: Establish India as a global powerhouse in the M&E sector, setting new standards for creativity, innovation, and global influence.

WAVES India - Vision and Mission:

  • Vision: Position India as a Global Powerhouse: Enhance India’s standing in the dynamic M&E sector, making it a hub of creativity and innovation worldwide.
  • Mission:
    • Provide exclusive investment opportunities for global M&E leaders through WAVES.
    • Drive India’s Creative Economy through Intellectual Property (IP) Creation for both domestic and international markets.
    • Develop M&E Infrastructure: Strengthen industry infrastructure and create a skilled workforce to meet global demands.
    • Adapt to New Trends: Embrace emerging technologies and transformations in the M&E landscape.

Expected Outcomes:

  • Global Collaboration: Engage global M&E leaders in discussions that provoke ideas and facilitate collaborations.
  • Attract Investment: Promote India as a business-friendly investment destination in the M&E sector.
  • Skills and Capacity Building: Build capacity in the M&E industry and develop skilled human resources to support international needs.

PM CARES Fund Contributions and Utilization (2022-23)

  • 30 Dec 2024

In News:

The Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES Fund) received Rs 912 crore in contributions during the financial year 2022-23 as donations continued to pour in even after the Covid pandemic.

Key Highlights:

Contributions Received:

  • Total contributions in 2022-23: Rs 912 crore.
    • Voluntary contributions: Rs 909.64 crore.
    • Foreign contributions: Rs 2.57 crore.

Interest Income:

  • Total interest income for 2022-23: Rs 170.38 crore.
    • From regular accounts: Rs 154 crore.
    • From foreign contributions account: Rs 16.07 crore.

Refunds and Additional Inflows:

  • Rs 225 crore in refunds, including:
    • Rs 202 crore refund from procurement of 50,000 ventilators for government hospitals.

Disbursements:

  • Total disbursed in 2022-23: Rs 439 crore:
    • Rs 346 crore for PM CARES for Children.
    • Rs 91.87 crore for procurement of 99,986 oxygen concentrators.
    • Rs 1.51 crore for refunds.
    • Rs 24,000 for legal charges, and Rs 278 for bank and SMS charges.

Cumulative Contributions (2019-23):

  • Rs 13,605 crore received from 2019-20 to 2022-23.
    • Voluntary contributions: Rs 13,067 crore.
    • Foreign contributions: Rs 538 crore.
  • Interest income over these years: Rs 565 crore.

About PM CARES Fund:

Formation and Purpose:

  • Established: March 27, 2020, as a Public Charitable Trust under the Registration Act, 1908.
  • Purpose: To address emergencies like COVID-19, natural disasters, and man-made calamities. It also supports healthcare infrastructure and essential facilities.

Governance and Structure:

  • Chairperson: The Prime Minister (ex-officio).
  • Trustees: Defence, Home, and Finance Ministers (ex-officio).
  • Additional Trustees: Appointed by the PM, serving on a non-profit basis (e.g., Justice K T Thomas (retd.) and Kariya Munda).

Tax Exemptions:

  • Donations are eligible for 100% tax exemption under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
  • Donations qualify as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) expenditure under the Companies Act, 2013.
  • The fund is exempt under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), allowing it to receive foreign donations.

ASI Discovery at Srisailam Temple

  • 30 Dec 2024

In News:

  • The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) uncovered ancient copper plates and gold coins at the Srisailam Temple in Andhra Pradesh, specifically in the Ghantamandapam area.
  • The discovery includes 20 sets of copper plates, totaling 72 leaves, and various gold coins.
  • The ASI's Epigraphy Branch in Mysore has completed the documentation of these findings, and the materials are being studied in detail.

Collaboration with Srisailam Devasthanam:

  • In collaboration with the Srisailam Devasthanam, ASI plans to publish a book that will detail the findings and their historical significance.
  • The book will be printed soon by Pragati Publications in Hyderabad.

Srisailam Temple Overview:

  • The Srisailam Temple, also known as the Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple, is a prominent Hindu pilgrimage site in Andhra Pradesh.
  • It is located in the Nallamala Hills, overlooking the Krishna River.
  • The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva in the form of Mallikarjuna Swamy and Goddess Parvati as Bhramaramba Devi.
  • It is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva and one of the Shakti Peethas, making it significant in both Shaivism and Shaktism.

Architectural Significance:

  • The temple is built in the Dravidian style, featuring lofty towers and expansive courtyards, and is considered a prime example of Vijayanagara architecture.
  • Historical references to the temple date back to the Satavahana period (2nd century AD), and the temple was further endowed by the Kakatiyas and Vijayanagara rulers.

Cultural and Religious Importance:

  • The Srisailam Temple is unique for housing both a Jyotirlinga (Lord Shiva) and a Shakti Peetha (Goddess Bhramaramba), a rare combination not found at other temples.
  • The great religious figure Adi Shankaracharya is believed to have visited the temple and composed the Sivananda Lahiri there.

Historical Context:

  • The copper plates and inscriptions discovered are likely to provide valuable insights into the historical and cultural significance of the temple, as well as the region's ancient religious practices.

Reassessment of Conjugal Visits in Delhi Prisons

  • 30 Dec 2024

In News:

  • The Delhi government is reassessing the proposal to permit conjugal visits for prisoners, following the suspension of a similar initiative in Punjab.
  • Delhi Chief Minister has sought further input from the Law Department and explored if similar schemes are implemented in other states.

Conjugal Visits - Definition & Context:

  • Conjugal visits involve allowing prisoners to spend private time with their legal partners or spouses, including intimate relations, within prison premises.
  • No national policy exists in India for conjugal rights of prisoners, leading to varied implementations across states.

Punjab’s Pilot Project - ‘Parivar Mulakat’:

  • Ludhiana Central Jail introduced the 'Parivar Mulakat' programme in September 2022, allowing face-to-face meetings with family in designated rooms.
  • The initiative was suspended shortly after its launch due to security concerns, particularly difficulty in conducting thorough body checks on visitors.

Challenges in Delhi:

  • Overcrowded prisons in Delhi make it challenging to manage the logistical demands of conjugal visits, especially with up to 1,200 daily visitations.
  • The Home Department has received proposals but no progress has been made over the past year.

Legal Precedents on Conjugal Rights:

  • Punjab and Haryana High Court (2014) ruled that prisoners have a right to conjugal visits to facilitate procreation.
  • Madras High Court (2018) allowed a life convict on parole for conjugal relations, and in 2023, a judge called for similar considerations for Tamil Nadu.

Human Rights Argument:

  • Advocates argue that denying conjugal visits to prisoners violates basic human rights of both prisoners and their spouses, particularly those aged 21-50, who are often in sexually active years.
  • Amit Sahni, a social activist, filed a PIL highlighting that most prisoners in Delhi are denied conjugal rights despite their eligibility.

Government’s Position:

  • Delhi DG (Prisons) had argued that temporary leave such as parole and furlough serve the purpose of family ties, questioning the need for conjugal visits within prison.

Need for Legal Framework:

  • Legal experts suggest the creation of a law and policy framework to regulate conjugal visits, ensuring clear guidelines for their implementation.
  • S.D. Singh, a Supreme Court advocate, emphasized that conjugal visits should be legally recognized as a right, requiring formal legislation for consistent implementation.

Future Considerations:

  • The Delhi government’s reassessment may lead to a policy that considers both human rights and security concerns in its decision on conjugal visits.

Re-emergence of the Dodo in Kashmir’s Papier Mâché Craft

  • 30 Dec 2024

In News:

Artisans in Srinagar, Kashmir, have revived the extinct dodo bird in papier mâché forms. These figurines are exported worldwide, particularly to Mauritius and Europe, ahead of the Christmas season. Over 50,000 dodo figurines have already been sent to international markets in 2024.

Key Highlights:

The Dodo:

  • Scientific Name: Raphus cucullatus.
  • Extinct Since: 1681, approximately 80 years after humans began interacting with them.
  • Endemic to Mauritius: A flightless bird from the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius, a national symbol of the country.
  • Extinction Causes: Overhunting and the introduction of invasive species like rats, pigs, and cats that preyed on their eggs.
  • Physical Traits: Grey or brown plumage, about 3 feet tall, flightless and fearless.

Papier Mâché Craft in Kashmir:

  • History: Practiced for over 600 years in Kashmir, introduced during the reign of King Zain-ul-Abidin (15th century).
  • Techniques: Involves creating decorative objects using paper pulp, with traditional Persian motifs.
  • Recent Addition of Dodo: The dodo was introduced to the papier mâché craft around two decades ago, likely by Mauritian tourists.

International Market and Demand:

  • Mauritius: A significant market for the papier mâché dodo, as the bird is a national emblem of Mauritius.
  • Europe: Exported to European countries during the Christmas season, contributing to the popularity of Kashmir’s handicrafts.
  • Kashmir's Karkhanas: Local craft workshops in Srinagar are producing thousands of dodo figurines each season, with over 3,000 dodos produced this year.

Cultural and Economic Impact:

  • Artisans' Contribution: Local artisans are helping keep the memory of the extinct dodo alive, while boosting Kashmir’s handicraft industry.
  • Global Recognition: The dodo is now a sought-after item in global markets, linked to the traditional art of Kashmir.
  • Kashmir Handicrafts: Several crafts from Kashmir, including papier mâché, have received Geographical Indication (GI) tags for their distinct cultural and regional significance.